During my show there are about five incidents when I'll ask the audience a question.
It's especially useful at the 40-minute mark when audiences traditionally feel a bit of a lull - apparently science tells us human beings can't concentrate for longer than around 43 minutes at a time. It's also nice to do because, as a comic, it's lo
nely. Regardless of the question, someone usually says something ridiculous or incoherent, which in itself is funny, and when it really works we're all making each other laugh and for me, that's when it's most fun.
I'm happy to say my show attracts a real mix of ages and on one occasion there was a ten-year-old with his family on the front row and a row of 70-year-olds on the row behind him. I asked the question "is anyone here on Facebook?" The ten-year-old said: "No, I hate it." A 70-year-old woman said: "Yes, yes I am." "But...but...you're old!" I almost said. Instead, I thankfully managed to say "oh how lovely", which I did think it was too.
A few nights later I asked the question "anyone in from Edinburgh?" and then heard some commotion on the back row. "Everything alright?" I said. "No, we're from Stockport," one of them shouted out. "Well that's interesting ... but it wasn't actually what I asked." As I shielded my eyes from the lights to look at them I saw it wasn't a rowdy stag party but instead, a row of pensioners. The trouble is, when someone's making a lot of noise and then shouting out stupid answers you're sort of obliged to put them down - the audience expects it.
But you can't be really abrasive to someone's grandparents can you? "How old are you?" I said. "We don't tell secrets," then they added, "we thought you were in Topping and Butch." Playing Late and Live wasn't as much hassle as this. But I guess it's the surprises which get the best reaction all round - so I'll keep chatting and seeing what the audience comes up with and hopefully they'll keep making me laugh."
